Record Rack’s Bucks for the Brave: Program Details & Winners

Record Rack’s Bucks for the Brave.  What is it you ask?   Let me start by telling you the WHY.

Every morning when I get up to go to work, I get dressed and make the long jaunt to my office in our house.  Getting there, or coming home safe, is really the last thing I have to think about.  Well, other than maybe tripping over my dogs.  Not everyone has this same luxury.  In fact some people go to work every day, thinking it may be their last.

The men and women that choose to join our military service, or become first responders, do so for the love of their country, their communities and the desire to serve and protect.  They have the hearts of patriots, and bravery to face any evil that comes in their path.  They willingly take an oath to defend our constitution and citizens, knowing it could mean sacrificing their own lives, for the sake of another.

I’m not sure about you, but my job responsibilities don’t come even close to putting my life in jeopardy.  Outside of an accident, I don’t have to worry on daily basis if I’m going to make it home to my family.

What these men and women have seen and had to do in their careers is beyond comprehension for most.  When they leave these jobs or retire, the walls they’ve built in order to cope, start to come down.  Often times, this is the first time they are dealing with these emotions.  They have seen the worst of the worst, and unfortunately, that will remain with them the rest of their lives.

For military personnel and/or first responders, when they leave active duty, mental health care workers have compared it to divorce. These heroes are not only leaving a job, they feel as if they’re separating from family.  There is far too large of a number of suicides amongst this group, not only while they are active, but also after they’re done serving.  We’ve all heard the number 22, and what it stands for in the military and Veteran community.  We are now seeing an increase in suicides amongst first responders as well.

Getting these heroes in the outdoors, can be a powerful, healing and life-changing experience.  I could not think of a better way for the Sportsman’s Choice & Record Rack brands to get involved in the community and give back to those that have served and sacrificed for me, you, our country and the freedoms we know and love in this country.

This will be the 5th year that Record Rack has hosted Record Rack’s Bucks for the Brave event.  This platform allows friends and family of those that have served, to nominate their heroes for a chance to win this once-in-a-lifetime hunting EXPERIENCE. Why don’t I just call it a hunt?  Because it is so incredibly much more.

When the Bucks for the Brave winners are first contacted, there is so much excitement, yet disbelief they would have been chosen.  These heroes are some of the most humble human beings I have ever known.  They all feel undeserving; that there is someone else out there more worthy.  Every hero nominated actually deserves to win for their service, which is what makes choosing so difficult.  I truly wish we could bring them all to Trinity Oaks Thumbtack Ranch.  Because once you cross the Leona River and go through the gates, lives are changed forever.

Yes, these heroes get to see and hunt some of the finest whitetail deer and exotic animals that some will never see in their lifetime.  But it goes deeper than that.  The impact of knowing that the animals they are harvesting will be providing thousands of meals for people in need, gives them a sense of being able to already pay it forward for the amazing experience they are having.  It’s more than just hunting. The winners get to target shoot, fish and enjoy activities in the incredible lodge.  The volunteer staff is amazing, the food is unbelievable, the fireside live concerts are amazing and having prestigious guests come in to meet them is something they’ll never forget.  But it still gets more rewarding that that.

Spending time in the outdoors, amongst other men and women that have served, helps provide a safe space for them to relax and let their guard down.  This hunting experience fills a gap they’ve been missing in their life – the camaraderie they once had on a daily basis while serving.  They are able to talk and recount stories amongst each other, that they don’t typically share with others who could never relate or understand.  The group arrives in San Antonio as hesitant strangers, yet five short days later, they go home as lifetime friends, with a new found sense of peace.

We had a total of 7 winners last year – one Veteran from each branch of the military service, one retired Law Enforcement Officer and one Retired Firefighter.  This year we added an eighth category – retired EMT’s.  All heroes that were nominated, selflessly served their country and communities, and deserving to win this opportunity.  It was extremely difficult for the committee (Veterans and First Responders) to choose, however there can be only 8.  Here are the 2020 Bucks for the Brave winners: